O God of Truth, whose living Word

O God of Truth, whose living Word. Thomas Hughes* (1822-1896).  This hymn was written for a collection edited by G. Stevenson de M. Rutherford entitled Lays of the Sanctuary, and other poems (1861) The editor is referred to in JJ, p. 541 , as ‘the Hon. Mrs. Norton’. The Preface makes it clear that this was a book published to help a poor widow, Elizabeth Good. The death of her husband left her ‘in easy circumstances’, but she was the victim of fraud by which she lost her money and was ‘reduced to indigence’ (p.vi). Numerous hymn writers were persuaded to contribute to the book. Rutherford’s Preface continues ‘The Poems in this volume are original, and expressly contributed. The Work itself...